“Classic” Book Friday – April Is…

April is Autism Awareness Month. And today, we’re turning Hill Top blue to show our support (even though the actual “light it up blue” day was last week…we rescheduled, since we were on spring break). So, how about a book that looks at a character who thinks a little differently?

In The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd, Ted’s cousin Salim has come to visit. Since he hasn’t been in London before, Ted, his sister, and Salim decide to go up in the London Eye…the giant ferris wheel. The line is long and a stranger offers Salim a ticket to move up in line. Since he’s never been before, everyone goes along with it. The only problem is…when the Eye makes its full trip, Salim isn’t in the car anymore.

Naturally, everyone is frantic and the police are investigating, because people just don’t disappear. Ted, whose brain works a little differently than most folks’, thinks that he can be the key to finding Salim. He can think about things and see things in a way that the police, the adults, and even his sister can’t. He’ll be the one who finds Salim.

This is a great mystery story. How can someone just disappear from a ferris wheel? Ted’s a great character, who shows how a brain that works a little differently can be a great asset when things just don’t make sense.